Chapter 19: Jack's Statement (Part 1)

After seeing Colston off, Feng Bujue sat back at the desk in the room and fell into deep thought.

Scofield did not disturb him. The detective was also thinking about the information he had obtained before.

"At this moment, I really envy guys like Nero Wolfe (nero_wolfe, a famous detective written by Ritters Stoddard, a fat, reluctant to go out, likes to grow orchids and charges a high fee)." Feng Bujue said after a moment.

"Well... I think if you want, you can also become an excellent 'armchair detective'." Scofield said.

"Of course I can." Feng Bujue's narcissistic nature broke out, and he said without any modesty, "When I say 'envy', I don't mean to envy this person's talent. I just envy that he doesn't have to participate in this tedious intelligence gathering work."

Schofield shrugged and said, "This is also unavoidable. Although there are only nine suspects in this case, the information Mark asked in the routine questioning... is not enough to lock the murderer."

"At present, there are basically three who can be ruled out... the owner Colston Lovecraft, the butler Henderson, and the maid Oliver." Feng Bujue muttered, "One of them has no ability to commit a crime, one does not have the courage to commit a crime, and the other has a problem with body size..."

"Body size?" Schofield asked.

"You've noticed it too..." Feng Bujue said, "Mrs. Oliver is only about 1.6 meters tall, and weighs at least more than Dennis. With that big and strong body, even if she could barely flip out of the window, she couldn't climb outside the window to complete the layout of the secret room."

"Ah... uh... right." Scofield obviously just understood, he thought for a few seconds, and then continued the topic: "But... why didn't you rule out the gardener's suspicion? When Mrs. Carol found the body, Mr. Barton was talking to you in your room, wasn't he?"

"So what?" Feng Bujue replied indifferently, "Maybe he came to my room before Just finished the crime? In my opinion. No one in this villa has a tenable alibi. "He added, "Including myself, I don't have one either. So... Mr. Detective, you have to be more careful. Although the probability is very small, you can't completely rule out the possibility that I committed the crime."

"How is this possible..." Scofield said with a smile, "You have no motive at all, and Mr. Dennis helped you, didn't he?"

"Maybe I'm crazy?" Feng Bujue asked seriously, "Don't you think I don't look like it?"

Just as Scofield was hesitating whether to say what he thought in his heart, "It does look a bit like it." The knock on the door sounded again.

Dumpty said outside the door: "Sir, Mr. Jack Lovecraft is here."

Schofield quickly replied, "Okay, let him in."

Jack pushed the door open and strode to the middle of the room. When Dumpty closed the door behind him, he turned his head and glanced, and then looked at Feng Bujue and Scofield with an indifferent expression. "What is this? Interrogation?"

"No, I just have some questions that I want to ask you." Feng Bujue replied with a smile.

"Ha!" Jack smiled and sat down on the chair. Crossing his legs, "Famous detective, you want to ask me for advice?"

"You didn't seem to have heard of me before the police came?" Feng Bujue said.

"Yeah. I don't read newspapers very often." Jack said, "Even if I do, I don't pay much attention to reports on criminal investigation."

"Well... I guess you mainly read the entertainment section." Feng Bujue was talking about something else.

"Yes~ I used to be the lead singer of a rock band." Jack's eyes were fixed on the booklet in Feng Bujue's hand. He replied with a long tone, "I have already told the other police officer, what? Is this illegal?"

"Of course it's not illegal." Feng Bujue said, "But if... you, the outdated lead singer, killed your brother..."

"Hey! Hey! What are you talking about!" Jack shouted.

"What's wrong?" Feng Bujue's behavior was like a slap in the face again, "Are you dissatisfied with the word 'outdated', or do you have an opinion on the charge of murder? Or both?"

"Do you have any evidence to support your statement?" Jack replied, "If there is no evidence, it is slander!"

"Evidence..." Feng Bujue sneered, "Hehe... 'You should be glad that I don't have such a gun.'" He repeated it word for word, "This sentence... is the last sentence you said to Dennis before the incident. Many people heard it, including me."

"So what?" Jack retorted Asked, "Anyone can tell that it was just a joke."

"If the person was not dead, it would be a joke." Feng Bujue placed his right hand on the desk, tapping the table with four fingers like waves, "But now that the person is dead, the situation is different... Considering the situation at that time, can I understand your meaning as - 'If I had a gun like that, I would not shoot the ceiling.'"

"Nonsense! It's all bullshit!" Jack jumped up from his chair, "What kind of detective are you!" He turned to look at Scofield, "Officer! Are you just going to watch him wrongly accuse a good man like this?"

"I think you are the most suspicious." Scofield put on his detective's posture and stared at him with a solemn expression. "Among all the suspects, you are the only one who is physically comparable to the deceased. Psychologically, strong people have more courage to take action, right?"

"You..." Jack was speechless for a moment.

"Since you mentioned rock bands..." Feng Bujue immediately continued, "Then I think you are familiar with things like strings..." He paused and said, "It just so happens that the murder weapon is also a similar thing."

"You know... if there were no police present, I would have come here to beat you up." Jack squeezed out a sentence in a very unhappy tone.

"Hmph... I advise you not to be impulsive." Feng Bujue raised his eyebrows and replied proudly, "My sharp leg skills cannot be blocked by a mere desk."

"Gentlemen... let's get back to a constructive discussion." Scofield had to advise, because the words and actions of the two in front of him already had a bit of the atmosphere of street thugs fighting fiercely...

"Hmph..." Jack snorted coldly, sat down again, and said to Feng Bujue: "Then tell me, why should I kill my brother? Is it just because of this quarrel today? I still don't know why he and my father are arguing, why should I kill someone?" (To be continued...)